heart disease

The growth in demand for this drink over the past few years has been rapidly increasing. Incredibly, the trend looks set to continue with a forecast of 7.5 percent growth in the market annually. In the end, we hope to find out how much caffeine in green tea.

It’s health benefits, combined with a growing interest in the fitness and wellness sector, have been the major driving forces behind its popularity.

However, there's a misunderstanding about this beverage, apart from, “it’s good for you.”

This article will examine the key questions behind this drink. It will illustrate whether the health benefits it claims are necessary and open your eyes to other interesting facts.

What Is Green Tea?

All tea is originally green. It comes from the leaves of the Chinese plant camellia sinensi. Usually, we think of traditional tea being dark brown or black. The leaves only take on this hue through oxidation - they are put in a room to wither and react with oxygen.

Green tea, however, does not undergo this process. The leaves undergo the process of steaming and drying which allows the green/brown chlorophyll color to remain. After the process, the leaves are put into hot water to brew, the green color of the leaves carries through into the drink.

How Much Caffeine in Green Tea?

A ‘normal’ cup of tea (8 oz) contains 35 mg of caffeine. However, this can vary between certain parameters of around 25 mg-50 mg. The difference depends on the variety of the green tea leaves, their preparation process and how long they have been in hot water to brew.

Also, how much caffeine in green tea also depends on the age and form of the tea itself. Older green teas lose their caffeine content with age. Tea bags (which contain much finer leaves than loose types) create a heavier-caffeinated drink. Because the smaller tea bag leaves create a greater surface area over which the caffeine can infuse.

A useful comparison is to compare it to coffee which contains between 107 mg-151 mg per cup.

In simple terms, 2-3 cups of green tea equals one cup of coffee.

Is Green Tea a Stimulant?

Also, green tea also contains the stimulants theobromine and theophylline. The former is a muscle stimulant which affects the heart in particular. It can dilate the arteries and has been utilized as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Theophylline works on the respiratory system. It is used to treat severe respiratory diseases including asthma.

This, unfortunately, does make green tea sound like a drink that could cause issues with those sensitive to stimulants. But that is not the case. Only the caffeine content can create serious side effects such as headaches, nausea and heart palpitations. Unless you consume green tea to great excess, this will not be an issue.

Can Green Tea Reduce Iron Levels?

Polyphenols in green tea (or any tea) can inhibit the absorption of iron from food. Studies have shown that even while following a healthy diet, with how much caffeine in green tea excessive consumption of green tea reduces iron intake and can lead to anemia.

Individual susceptibility to these polyphenols varies. It recommends drinking no more than six cups of green tea per day.

What Are Antioxidants in Green Tea?

Found in some foods and drinks, antioxidants remove waste products known as free radicals which can cause damage to the body’s cells. The antioxidants in green tea are the polyphenols, in particular, Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Despite how much caffeine in green tea, these antioxidant effects are of most interest to scientists as they have been shown to delay the onset of some cancers.

With How Much Caffeine In Green Tea, Is It a Diuretic?

The polyphenols and depending how much caffeine in green tea can act as diuretics, that is, make you urinate more frequently. As long as it is not consumed in excess, this can have beneficial effects for the body including:

Removing excess water

Assisting with kidney infections

Reducing swollen tissues

Will Green Tea Help Me Lose Weight?

Firstly, plain green tea is virtually a zero calorie beverage. If you add milk, sugar or other flavorings, this can increase the calorie count.

Also, while finding how much caffeine in green tea, it has proven abilities to shed weight and is, therefore, an ideal drink for people on a weight loss regime. I have explored below the major benefits of green tea for shedding pounds.

Boosts the Metabolism

Caffeine boosts the metabolism, but it is not the only ingredient in green tea that does so. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) not only has antioxidant properties but also raises the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

If you have ever looked at the ingredient list on a natural weight loss supplement, you often find it contains green tea extract for this reason.

Raising the metabolism increases energy usage. This requires fuel which it finds in fat cells. The higher the metabolism, the more fat burn whether exercising or at rest.

Raises Lipolysis (Fat Breakdown)

EGCG in green tea can increase the level of norepinephrine. This hormone is a precursor to fat cell breakdown.

Studies have shown that green tea consumption can effectively promote weight loss through this method. As fat is broken down, it can then be used for energy in the form of fatty acids or expelled through waste.

Suppresses the Appetite

Green tea can be an appetite suppressant, in that its consumption leads to smaller meals and less in-between snacking. The process behind this has not been fully established, although it is considered that caffeine acts as the suppressant.

While consumption of green tea has proven weight loss benefits, bear in mind that this is in conjunction with eating healthily and remaining active.

Can Green Tea Prevent Cancer?

There is increasing evidence that consuming green tea may protect the body against certain types of cancer or reduce its severity.

The most powerful aspect seems to be green tea’s ability to prevent or reduce metastasis. This is the process whereby a tumor grows and then promotes secondary cancerous growths at separate sites. While this may prevent the progression of cancer, it does not cure it.

However, some studies have shown that there may be cancer-preventing properties in green tea.

For example, prostate cancer is lower in Asian countries than those in Western countries. It assumes that this may be due to dietary differences. On this basis, a study was conducted on males in Japan where green tea intake was monitored against cancer proliferation. It concluded that green tea might lead to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.

A further Japanese study of 8522 people illustrated similar results. These subjects follow over a nine-year period for signs of cancer and with their green tea consumption monitored. The results showed that the rate of cancer was significantly lower in those with high green tea consumption.

Can Green Tea Prevent Heart Disease?

Too much LDL cholesterol can cause atherosclerosis, where the blood vessel walls build causing them to narrow. This results in less oxygenated blood reaching the heart, which in severe cases can cause heart attacks or stroke.

Consumption of green tea can lower this risk.

Will Green Tea Stop Me From Developing Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, and its incidence is expected to double every 20 years. Currently, there are an estimated 24 million sufferers from this disease.

Plaques known as beta amyloids build up in the brain which at first impair brain cell function and finally destroy them.

Catechins in green tea can help with preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that these catechins can:

Prevent inflammation in the brain

Suppress the toxicity of beta-amyloid

Impair increases in beta amyloids

Protect DNA against damage

Furthermore, it has also been suggested that the catechins can promote new neuron growth to reverse the process of Alzheimer's possibly.

Can Green Tea Damage the Liver?

The adage of ‘everything in moderation’ applies here. Drinking a few cups of green tea per day is not going to harm your liver. The health benefits far outweigh any damage they could cause.

The recent increase in concern regarding the liver and green tea seems to stem from the rise of supplementation with a green tea extract.

A normal cup of green tea contains around 100 mg of antioxidants. An average daily supplement contains 800-1000 mg. Typically, this extract is present in weight loss supplements, and some users try to increase the fat-shedding effect by exceeding the dosage.

If the daily intake exceeds 1000 mg per day, there is a danger of hepatotoxicity.

Conclusion

Despite a heavy consumption in Asia for centuries, it is only within the past few decades that the enormous benefits of drinking green tea have been discovered.

As long as green tea is not in excess, there are no adverse health effects from this beverage.

With zero calories, numerous antioxidant and weight loss properties, it is a valuable drink to supplement a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, as a beverage which can protect against health problems, it is a positive step to ensure your well-being in the future.

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